My First Eucharistic Adoration---D'oh!

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Tonight was the orientation meeting for RCIA at my Church. It was great, fun, moving, informative, and surpassing even my very high expectations.

I had some errands to run this afternoon and decided to just stay in the neighborhood of my Church and wait until the meeting started. I’d learned my Church has expanded its hours for Eucharistic Adoration. Since I’ve been praying for the grace to actually, finally believe in the Real Presence (Yes, I know all the explanations why—I’m just praying for genuine belief to come.), I thought it’d be a idea to spend my time waiting for the meeting to start in the Adoration Chapel. I’d printed up all sorts of online articles about what to do and pray about, and filled my briefcase with prayer books, “The Imitation of Christ,” printouts of the Church’s Scripture readings for the last few days—even my old Confraternity Bible!

Unfortunately, I didn’t get there until about 5:45 and Adoration was only supposed to run to 6:30, but I figured 45 minutes was better than nothing, right? As I approached the door to the Chapel I began to feel—not dread—but at least a heightened state of troubled awe.

There were only two other people in the Chapel: a young woman who was reading, and a young man who was prostrate on the floor. I took a seat and began reading from “The Imitation.” The words I was reading seemed to be taking on an extra meaning. I was having to read them very slowly. I wasn’t entirely sure what was happening, but I sensed I was about to have a break-through. I was in mid-prayer. Then…

BAH-RAH-TAH-TAH-TAH!!! BAH-YAH-TAH-TAH!!!

It was some teenager in the Sanctuary, rehearsing on his cornet. Apparently there was some sort of Life Teen musical rehearsal and this kid decided to warm up early.

Well, so much for any break-throughs.

The guy on the floor, got up, went to a kneeler, and began praying out loud. The young woman knew the prayer and prayed aloud with him. I didn’t know it, so I mostly muttered.It turns out this guy was some sort of lay leader or deacon – or at any rate had charge of the Chapel right then. Looked like Adoration would have to shut down 30 minutes early.

When he finished praying he turned to me and asked if I’d assist him. Feeling stunned, honored, and unworthy, I stood up, and he handed me a thick altar candle, then gave the other to the young woman. He then removed the Host from the monstrance, wrapping it in a cloth, and the woman led us in a procession into the Sanctuary. I had to follow her to try to figure out where to stand or move or kneel up at the altar. The host was put into the Tabernacle with due reverence (notwithstanding the continuing cornet playing), and I was led to the sacristy to put up the candle, though not before I tripped on a step on the altar.

This is the second time in two months I’ve been recruited to help perform some task up at a Church’s altar, where I felt honored and unworthy and almost as if I’ve by dumb luck been selected for a privilege a non-Catholic doesn’t deserve.
 
Thanks for taking the time to tell the story. It was a good one. One thing about a Catholic parish, there are more jobs to be done than volunteers, so a draft is in effect.

Adoration is a great companion to RCIA, but do not volunteer for other service. It is not because you are not worhty, but because you deserve the right to enjoy goinf through RCIA with the fewest distractions. Afterwards, as you are finding out, service will find you.

God bless you this year.
 
what you describe is exactly why many churches have set up separate Adoration chapels. while most of us old fogies feel the Tabernacle belongs above the high altar, many churches have become grand central station, and unsuitable for exposition and adoration, especially churches that are “tourist destinations”.
 
This is just the sort of thing that caused my parish to build an adoration chappel. We now have Adoration 24/7. It is a wonderful experience to spend an hour with Jesus every week.
 
Seaker 63
Welcome to the “real” Catholic Church, she said, laughing.
If you go again, you show you are sincere. You will find a time that is quiet.
I’m going to get in trouble for the following but - Oh well.
So the “ole foggies” want our Lord to themselves in a “private” chapel. Not so for this really “ole” foggie!!!. The beauty of the Tabernacle IN, I repeat IN the Church in plain view (and by the way the rule is - in plain view to those entering the Church - even if somewhat separated) is that our Lord is there “inviting” the whole world to His Presence. The silence that is “supposed” to be there in “reverence” for His Presence needs to be returned.
Oh,
How we should pray that during the “Year of the Eucharist” some sense of the Real Presence returns to people’s hearts. This is what our Holy Father has tried so hard to impart to the faithful.
Our Lady of the Eucharist, pray for us.
Peace on earth to men of good will.
LaVada
 
I understand that distractions (especially a coronet for crying out loud) may be unwelcome, but try to keep your eyes on the prize so to speak. It is still you and Jesus (body, blood, soul, divinity) in close proximity. Try to focus on him and the coronet may not be so bothersome. God bless you and keep up the adoration!
 
Oh to be able to worship my Lord in such a manner. It is offered only once a year in my parish. :crying:
 
Well, this Church has an expansion plan on the boards that would include a new extra Chapel, as well as a 24/7 Adoration Chapel. Right now Adoration takes place in the Cry Room.

As far as “getting volunteered” goes, I should clarify.Yesterday I was just asked to help take everything back to the Altar. It just happened that I was there and handy and I certainly wasn’t gonna turn down that honor.

The other occasion was last month. A friend and I visited a Basilica as tourists and after a Priest showed us around, he asked me to come with him.He’d just done a Baptism up front and needed help carrying a wooden table up onto the Altar.I was just amazed at the chance of getting to go up to the Altar.

I did notice that in my paperwork for RCIA they asked what sort of charitable work/Christian service I’m currently engaged in and I had to admit I’m not really doing anything right now.
 
A couple comments in response to your original post:

I converted a couple of years ago from Evangelical Protestantism. Early on in my journey, I remember praying one morning while at Mass with my then-boyfriend (now-husband), “Lord, I intellectually accept that you are truly present in the Eucharist. But how in the world will I ever believe that you are there?” Soon after, God granted me the gift of faith. He is so generous! So keep praying that your soul will recognize Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, and God will bless you.

With respect to distractions during Adoration, you might check out St. Therese’s Story of a Soul (or watch the upcoming movie!). I have a great tendency toward distraction, so you can imagine how encouraged I was when St. Therese admitted this same tendency. She recounts her experience with a fellow sister, who would mumble while saying her rosary in the chapel. St. Therese would get very irritated that this sister was distracting her from her prayers. But then she realized that she could offer up this suffering to Christ. She began to actually hope this sister would enter the chapel during her prayer time so she could suffer through her distractions. This has ever since been a refreshing thought for me when outside distractions make prayer or adoration a challenge.

Many blessings as you continue in your journey!
 
asquared,

a good compromise is to have a two-sided altar with the adoration chapel directly behind the high altar, kind of like the lady chapels of old. That is what the Basilica at Notre Dame is like and it works out really well. Both the sanctuary and the adoration chapel have the tabernacle front and center, although the adoration chapel uses a second altar at the back for display of the Sacrament. Also priests need to take a stand to keep their churches from becoming like a train station, especially since very few churches in this country are tourist destinations. Have the teens practice their music in the parish hall or CCD classrooms!
 
Minerva–

I’ll definitely have to agree with your tagline. After all, everybody’s heard of the “Hail Mary Pass.”
 
i love going to eucharistic adoration at my church. they do have a separate chapel just for that, and another church in town has perpetual adoration - you can go at 3 am and there’ll be somebody there (maybe drousy) ‘guarding’ the host and worshiping. it’s beautiful.

i’m a convert, too, my friend. and i, too, strive to find a total belief in the true presence. i ACCEPT that it is there, but i have yet to FEEL it fully. you know what i mean. one thing that helped me alot was to read ‘eucharistic miracles’ by joan carroll cruz. it tells some amazing (and true) stories of the true presence of Christ in the eucharist, and it helped me to ‘feel it’ a little more.
 
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mkw:
Oh to be able to worship my Lord in such a manner. It is offered only once a year in my parish. :crying:
Click to expand...
Spend some time infront of a tabernacle?
 
My parish has perpetual adoration in a chapel right off the main sanctuary. There is also a tabernacle in the chapel.

My parish is the largest in my archdiocese and so daily mass is usually celebrated in the perpetual adoration chapel 3 times per day.

I have also been disturbed by someone practicing the organ, the musician having forgotten that there is a “volume” control. I accepted this as a trial sent to me to learn patience and perseverence.

Amazing what one can learn in the presence of our Lord and Savior.

Don’t be afraid, if there is no adoration, to simply kneel before the tabernacle. I have experienced some of my most powerful encounters with the Hidden Jesus in the tabernacle, as opposed to being exposed in the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance.

Welcome home!
 
seeker,

“The guy on the floor, got up, went to a kneeler, and began praying out loud. The young woman knew the prayer and prayed aloud with him”

There are certain prayers said when the Eucharist is exposed, and reposed. That was proabbly the prayer you heard them say :). If you frequent exposition/reposition, you’ll soon learn them too, LOL :).
 
What a wonderful privilage for you all. Imagine you were standing with Christ guarding His Honour.

Jesus wanted you there to do that. This is the simple reason why it entered your head to go to the Church in the first place.
 
On behalf of all teenagers, I apologize for my entire generation being rude, insensitive, evil, and otherwise worthless except as objects for parents to show off.

I’m sorry. That was rude. But maybe that “some teenager,” that annoying teenager who interrupted your prayer, maybe he saw a flyer for LifeTeen and thought “hey, good chance to worship God” and maybe it was (gasp!) an adult who had organized the practice. He probably shouldn’t have warmed up early if he’d known what was going on, or had some respect for silence in the church. I’m not saying he was entirely innocent. But this annoying teenager did not deliberatly interrupt your prayer; why do you blame him so much? God was telling you something, and if it’s important, God will come back and tell you again and again until you get it.

I know that a lot of teenagers are rude and insensitive but a lot of adults are, too. Please… think before you judge.
 
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mkw:
Oh to be able to worship my Lord in such a manner. It is offered only once a year in my parish. :crying:
Click to expand...
My church offers it only on the first Sunday of the month. But after a little research, beginning with Masstimes.org, I was able to find some churches in the vicinity that offer 1) Each Monday all day, 2) Wednesday mornings, 3) Friday afternoons, and 4) perpetual.

Now, If I can’t make at least an hour a week, its my own fault!!!

NotWorthy
 
We have adoration every Thursday at our parish and every first
Friday of the month. This is one of my favorite times of the week
because it is so wonderful and peaceful there with Jesus!
:yup:
 
Dear Cardenio–

I saw the title of this thread and thought it sounded interesting, then opned it and realized I’d actually started it almost a year ago.
So I’ll just try to answer based on what I remember.

I don’t really know what you have to do to reserve the use of the sanctuary, but it would seem that if he had to go through the church office to get the okay then wouldn’t somebody remember that Adoration was going on and that playing a trumpet would interrupt that?

But either way, accidents can happen. I don’t think the kid was intentionally being a pest. I do think that when the kid saw us carrying the Host to the Tabernacle and kneeling and praying just a few feet away from him that he should’ve been polite enough to stop playing for a few minutes.

“But this annoying teenager did not deliberatly interrupt your prayer; why do you blame him so much? God was telling you something, and if it’s important, God will come back and tell you again and again until you get it.”

Unfortunately, I am a jerk. I admit that. I get impatient and annoyed fairly easily, whether the source of my annoyance is behaving deliberately or not.

Twenty years ago I used to have a huge problem with my temper. I finally got a handle on that, but I still get impatient and annoyed VERY easily, especially when noise is involved.

What God is trying to tell me I’d love to know. Unfortunately, I’ve not been back to a formal Adoration since that day. I’ve been in a variety of sanctuaries when the Host was in the Tabernacle, and have prayed then and there, though.
 
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